I spoke to a rock today!
Seriously, I did. I was driving along the coastal road; I stopped the car and got out; staggered over some large pebbles and rough sand; found a very specific rock, and said: "Hi Dad".
Rewinding slightly: I was out at a meeting today, which took me further along the coast from where I live -- about 90 minutes. After the meeting, I realised I was actually in my dad's favourite little seaside village.
Dad passed away in 2020. After a year, mum finally decided it was time to sprinkle his ashes somewhere. She had settled on the coastal village he loved so much. As a family, we lived far in-land but visited often when I was a child. I eventually learned why my dad loved it so much, as did his entire family. He came from a family of 15(!) children and every summer they upped-sticks, borrowed the coal-man's van and departed on a mass excursion to this village and camped there for two weeks. He loved it.
This is why mum selected the village. My Mum, Sister, and I drove there in late 2021. We went to a favourite pebbly part of the beach which we loved as kids. We each sprinkled some ashes on one rock, and the rest into the sea.
I'm not terribly sentimental for these things, but it made mum (and my sister) happy; that was important to me. I gave it no more thought.
Now, cut to today -- The idea to visit Dad as I was passing just popped into my head. I don't fixate on things as a rule. My memories are my reminder of events.
So, here I am standing at a rock -- which is about waist high -- chatting to a lump of stone.
Amazingly, I found it quite cathartic. I told Dad that we were all well, but mum was a bit of a pain in the ass just now. (Long story, but she's an 81 year-old, sometimes cantankerous, old woman!). LOL
Tonight I called mum and told her I visited Dad in passing. She was very surprised; very happy to hear that I visited. She even laughed when I said: "I told Dad you are an awkward grouchy woman these days".
I actually shocked myself today; I genuinely felt that I got something out of that bizarre (in my view) situation.
We live, age, and learn more about ourselves every day!